Lara Croft and the sword of Damocles
by FanGirl Gamer
Summary: (Set inbetween Anniversary and Underworld) Lara makes a life changing discovery while studying a video she took while in Greece. She may have discovered the legendary sword of Damocles. She embarks on an epic adventure to try and discover the secrets that lie behind the mysterious object. But she's not the only one. (IN PROGRESS/NOT COMPLETED) Please R/R.
1. Chapter 1 The sword of Damocles

**Disclaimer:**I own nothing, Everything belongs to: Toby Guard, Core design and Crystal dynamics.

**A/N:**Okay, This is my 4th attempt at writing but I'm not quite sure where it's going so please bear with me and please read, review and enjoy!

**Lara Croft and the sword of Damocles**

**Chapter 1. The sword of Damocles.**

Thin rays of sunlight escaped from the sky and projected themselves through the crystal clear windows of Croft manor. Lara sat on her bed and allowed herself to become swallowed by the soothing heat as she examined her video camera.

On the video camera:

Lara was stood at the door way of a comprehensive room which was engulfed by swords in stalacmite and stalactite positions. The video quality was shaky, this was the only sign of fear that Lara showed- for her face and voice were stoic.  
"This room clearly shows some reference to the story of Damocles. A man jealous of the king's wealth and luxury lifestyle, and when he got what he wanted-to live like the king, he realised that it….Wasn't what he'd expected. Well, that's the shorter version of the story"

Off camera:

Lara wasn't fully aware of why she was searching her early recordings. They had be created while she was searching for a piece of the Scion in Greece. But, there was something about this particular recording, something that she was missing, and she knew it.

On camera:

Lara had continued to traverse the sword covered wasteland-cautiously of course. Until she came to what was obviously the most amazing-yet frightening area of the room. Some kind of three tier platform lay sturdily in the middle of a collection of decaying pillars. And on the platform, lay what Lara had been searching for, the key of Damocles.  
"Now, THIS is what I've been waiting for!" She said, her voice full of enthusiasm.

Off camera:

And it was. It was this specific moment of the recording that Lara had been searching for. Lara slammed the _pause _before locking her eyes onto the almost hazy screen. And there it was-The secret of the Damocles room. Although the screen was blurred and the image was tiny-Lara could still make out every single detail. The so called 'secret' was a sword. It hung perfectly on the wall, the 3 purple gems on the golden handle sparkled and shone with the thin ray of light that absorbed it and it's salient silver blade was a bulky killing machine. Lara's breath was completely taken away by her excitement.

"Unbelievable…!" she panted. This could have been one of Lara's biggest discoveries since the sword of Excalibur-and she couldn't wait to announce her discovery, Via headset of course.  
"Zip! Alistair! I've got great news! Meet me in Zip's office"

_Zip's office:_

"What's this about, Lara?" Zip asked in a calm yet annoyed tone.

"You two know about the sword of Damocles, right?" As Lara expected Zip's face mutated from calm to clueless- While Alistair beamed with intelligence.

"Zip?"

"Ummm, Yeah?" His voice was unconvincing.

"Dionysius (II) was a fourth century B.C. tyrant of Syracuse, a city in

Magna Graecia, the Greek area of southern Italy. To all appearances Dionysius was very rich and comfortable, with all the luxuries money could buy, tasteful clothing and jewellery, and delectable food. He even had court flatterers to inflate his ego. One of these ingratiates was the court sycophant, Damocles. Damocles used to make comments to the king about his wealth and luxurious life. One day when Damocles complimented the tyrant on his abundance and power, Dionysius turned to Damocles and said, "If you think I'm so lucky, how would you like to try out my life?"

Damocles readily agreed, and so Dionysius ordered everything to be prepared for Damocles to experience what life as Dionysius was like-"  
"what has this got to do with a sword?" Zip questioned rudely.  
"Don't worry, I'm getting to that part" Alistair snickered again.

"Damocles was enjoying himself immensely... until he noticed a sharp sword hovering over his head, that was suspended from the ceiling by a single horse hair. This, the tyrant explained to Damocles, was what life as ruler was really like. Damocles, alarmed, quickly revised his idea of what made up a good life, and asked to be excused. He then eagerly returned to his poorer, but safer life"  
"No offence, Lara, but why are you telling us this"  
"Because, Alistair, I think I've found the sword of Damocles!"

"What?!" Wailed Zip and Alistair in sync. Lara rolled her eyes as she retrieved her video camera from her pocket-still paused on the previous section.

"You see that in the background? The sword? I bet you that's the sword of Damocles"  
"How can you be sure?" Alistair's tone sounded questioning.

"I'm not. I'm just thinking logically. I found this in Greece, in a room labelled Damocles which had the Damocles key located in it" She explained, almost joking. "I think I'll take my chances"

"Sounds good to me!" Exclaimed Zip. "So I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say you're going to shoot off to Greece, Find this sword, destroy some un-important ruins and come home and live happily ever after?"  
"Well, I am going to Greece and I AM getting that sword"  
"So you're not going to destroy any un-important ruins?" He joked.  
"I don't think so, not this time"  
"Maybe we could focus on more important things?" Alistair demanded, he sounded almost aggressive.

"Like what?"  
"Well, Zip, Maybe about how Lara is going to get to Greece, Maybe find out weather there are any reports on this artefact and if anyone else is looking for it. Going after this sword could be really dangerous for Lara"  
"Alistair, I've been doing this for almost too long. Danger really doesn't bother me anymore" She laughed. "Plus, I know someone who can give me a lift. He owes me a favour anyway"  
"Why?"  
"Zip, If I told you, I'd have to kill you"

"Charming" Lara handed Zip a petite piece of paper-folded to it's limit.  
"Call this number, Tell them who it's for and where I'm going. They'll listen"  
"What if they don't?"

"Tell them: 3, 6, 1, 1, 9. Then they will defiantly listen"  
"How does that work?"  
"Trust me, It'll work"

"So what now?"  
"Now, Alistair, I'm going to Greece"  
"Are you sure about this?"  
"Trust me, I'm a tomb raider"

**A/N: **Okay, That was the first chapter, I think this went alright. Please leave feedback!

Just a little warning, Updates for this and "The Jedi from Earth" (My other incomplete fanfiction) might be a little slow, I'm busy with school, plus I'm choosing my GCSE's so my focus is a little shattered but I will try and get as much done as I can. (Thank you so much for sticking with me)


	2. Chapter 2 Chasing the legend

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, Everything belongs to: Toby Guard, Core design and Crystal dynamics.

**A/N:** Hello, Everyone. Well I hope you enjoyed chapter 1, so here is chapter two. I'm sorry it took a while, This kind of clashed with "Poisonous dynamite" I'm really trying to get my fanfictions done, please bare with me! Thank you loyal readers! (:

**Lara Croft and the sword of Damocles**

**Chapter 2. Chasing the legend.**

There was something about the deep roar of Lara's motor bike that relaxed her immensely-The main reason why her expression dropped when the ride was over. However, It only lasted for a few seconds, as she beamed with extreme happiness when she was her 'friend' stood in a black suit next to what seemed like the greatest plane she'd ever laid eyes on-Simple shape with a shinny crystal white coat.

"It's good to see you again, Lara" He greeted her in his deep and gruff voice.

"It's good to see you too" They shared a friendly embrace, Lara was almost swallowed by the giant muscles upon her 'Friend'.  
"Where are you heading?" He questioned, almost joking.  
"Did you get the map I sent you?"  
"Yes" He answered simply.  
"Then we're all set" Lara announced.  
"Is there room to land?" Lara laughed sound almost in an almost patronising way.  
"Me? Land? Since when do I do things the easy or normal way?  
"Let me guess, you're jumping?"  
"Exactly"  
"Lara Croft, one of these days you're going to kill yourself!" The sun was beating down, they both agreed that it was rare British weather, But also agreed that it was too hot, and with that they ventured into the plane.

"But when I do die, I'll die doing something I love, Something adventurous"

"I'm sure you will." Their conversation was eventually cut off by the ear-bursting noise that erupted from the plane as it began to hover and eventually climb through the air.

"Why are you going all the way to Greece? It's not your usual _'holiday' _destination!"

"A little something I like to call 'Chasing legend'"  
"And that is…?"  
"Uncovering secrets from ancient myths and stories. I'm looking for the sword of Damocles, Have you heard of that?"  
"It rings a bell, something about a sword hanging above a man's head?"  
"Correct. You know your Greek mythology!"

"I get it from listening to you all the time"

"Charming" Laughed Lara. Their conversation invisibly came to a halt, and Lara was left with only her thoughts. She enjoyed this-having someone for company, someone to talk to, someone to share the adventure with, and she felt that this was what was missing from her life, Maybe not a relationship, but defiantly a travel companion…..a friend. Her eyes transformed and began to look teary, but she held it back, she had never really felt this kind of heart-breaking emotion-apart from after the loss of both her parents and one other man, a man that made her feel…..complete, Kurtis Trent. As soon as his name began to swim around her mind she immediately erased it from her thoughts. Kurtis was gone, he was dead, she had cried over his life-less body and there was nothing she could do to bring him back. And yet there was something about him that made it impossible for her not to think about him, almost like he was inside of her, inside of her brain controlling her thoughts. She rose from her seat and made her way to a small, white-leather sofa, just like the one she sat on with her mother as a child before their scarring experience in a plane crash. She threw herself upon it, reached into her bag and retrieved her childhood journal. She turned the tatty pages, while running her fingers over her childhood artwork.

"Where are you, Mother?" She questioned in a whisper. "I'll find you, I'll bring you back. I promise." Lara's thoughts about the disappearance of her mother pained her more than words could explain, giving her feeling of extreme sadness and heartbreak. She curled up on her side and sobbed silently.

When Lara awoke her face was sticky from dried tears. She had remained curled on the white furniture of the plane. She rose to her feet and rubbed her eyes and tried desperately to wake herself-for she knew that soon she would be arrived at her destination.

"Miss Croft, we will be arriving shortly, please get yourself ready" The parachute she had brought with her remained in the cockpit.  
"Nice nap, Sleeping beauty?" Her friend joked.

"Wonderful…Thanks for asking" Yawned Lara in response. She threw the parachute onto her back and learned to be comfortable with it's weight.

"You ready?"  
"Yes, I'm ready" Lara said calmly. She took a deep breath. They ripped the plane door open and the extremely powerful wind began to suck. Lara gave her 'Friend' a salute, ran towards the edge of the plane and began to plummet down at great speed. Strong air resistance felt like burning knives against Lara skin. The goggles that she wore began to steam up and blur her vision. She could only make out a tiny amount of detail, she didn't want to risk anything so her only choice was to open her parachute straight away. She began to gently float towards the cliffs where St Francis Folly lay silently. She removed her goggles and re-claimed her vision as she landed on top of Pierre's old campfire.

"Pierre Dupont" Lara said to herself. "You really are a litterbug!" She snickered at her private joke. She began to run her hands over the decaying walls of the ancient structure-hoping to find any clues regarding the sword of Damocles. She identified some Greek writing that she could almost fluently translate.

"Here lies the ruins of many…but for you to….you will need to pass the….the tomb of Tihocan and sword of Damocles." Lara beamed with excitement! "Brilliant!" Her hand wandered curiously into her bag an retrieved her headset, she placed it neatly upon her ear.

"Zip? Alistair? Can you hear me? Can you hear me?"  
"Loud and clear, Lara!" Answered Zip.

"I'm at St Francis Folly, can you see that through the headset's camera?"  
"It's a tiny bit hazy but we can make out enough detail."  
"We? So Alistair is with you?"  
"I'm hear Lara."  
"Alistair, can you see if you can find nay link between the sword and this location?"  
"I'll do it now!"  
"You have him trained like a dog, Lara!" Laughed Zip.

"It comes in handy" She joked.

"Can you go through the doors?"  
"No" Lara grunted. "I'm pushing on them now, they wont budge, but there should be holes big enough where the ceiling should be, I just need to climb up and jump down inside."

"You sure that's a good idea?"  
"It'll be fine, your not going soft on me are you, Zip?"  
"Course not" Lara began to scramble up the side of the decaying tomb.

"I'd appreciate it if you kept quite for this bit, Zip. I can get distracted"  
"I wasn't talking!" Argued Zip in a childish and high-pitched voice.  
"I'm just warning you" Lara grasped some vine and continued to scramble up rocks and vegetation until she reached the top of the structure. The drop down to the surface of St Francis Folly was at least 50 metres.

"How you gonna get down?" Questioned Zip. Lara stayed silent for a moment, thinking. I can hook my grapple onto the top of this wall and lower myself down"  
"Well, that's not a suicide mission!" Zip exclaimed extremely sarcastically.

"Not when I'm doing it, it isn't" Lara began to unravel her grapple and hook it onto a dip in the wall.

"Lara I'm not sure about this"  
"Neither am I, Zip, but I guess this is dedication" Lara slowly began to descend and get closer and closer to the ground. Things were going well, until the rope snapped and Lara plummeted into the rock floor.

**A/N:** Okay, Well there's chapter two. I hope you enjoyed it. Chapter three should be up soon. Please leave reviews if you want to, don't be shy. Thank you for reading! (:


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